Charles w



(No Model.)

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CHARLES V. VUNDERLIOH, OF WASHINGTON, MISSOURI.

GUN-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,487, dated October 18, 1892.

Application filed April 6, 1891. Serial No. 387,901. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES lV. l/VUNDER- LICH, residing at Vashington, in the county of Franklin and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a gun-cleaning device; and it consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side View of inyimproved guncleaner in its normal condition. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the scraper-springs expanded. Fig. 8 is a front end view, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a similar View, the parts being kas shown in. Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 6 is a similar View with the springs expanded. Fig. 7 is adetail view of the stock. Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the cleaner-springs. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the expander.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the stock, which is formed with a screw-shank d, whereby it can be readily attached to the ramrod of a gun. This stockis formed with an annular depression b for receiving and holding the rear bent ends of the springs, the iat portion of which seat on the reduced portions d of the stock, such portions being guided and held between radiallydisposed lugs c c, the adjacent faces of which are beveled inward, whereby dovetail guideways are provided which securely hold the springs firmly on the stock and prevent them from becoming detached, they being capable of removal only by drawing them longitudinally from their guideways. The front side of the stock has aninternally-threadefl socket a2, in which is iitted the screw-shank t of the expander h, which consists of a conical plug formed at. its outer end with a suitable thumbpiece g. Each of the springs O has its end projected beyond the stock bent downward, as at fn, and then upward and back upon itself, as at fm, such portion m forming the scraperfinger, it being enlarged laterally to give it additional scraping-surface.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 5 that when the expander is in its outermost position the bases of the scraper-fingers m will rest upon the inner or reduced end of the expander, their scraper ends t' being thereby brought in a parallel line with the circumferential face of the stock to facilitate the insertion of the cleaner in the bore of the gun.

It should be stated that by bending the springs down,as at n msuch bends will serve to hold the springs close against the expander.

The edges of each of the scrape'r-ngersm are formed with chiseledges 1l 1', which edges when the springs are expanded lie fiat against the inner surface of the gun-barrel, so that as the cleaner is moved in the gun-barrel in the direction indicated by the arrow l the chisel-like edge of each spring is in position for planing oif lead or other substances which foul the gun, while its base rests fiat against the gun-barrel, and the cleaner-,when moved in the opposite direction in the gun-barrel will the more readily slip over lead, burned powder, or other substances fouling the gun.

By constructing and arranging the parts as described and shown it will be seen that as the pressure of the expander is applied to each spring at the base of the scraper-finger m and at a point forward of its scraping end, the chisel-like edge and base of each cleaning-face of each spring only coming in contact with the gun-barrel at a point between the stock and the base m, any undue pressure of the expander upon the springs will, by causing the springs to yield in their bent bases m, turn the sharp chisel-edge of each spring inward from the inner face of the gunbarrel and thus automatically protect the gun-barrel from being injured by a too great expansion of the cleaner-springs. Furthermore, owing to the peculiar manner in which the scraper-ingers engage the barrel and are bent at m and are pressed against the barrel the wear on such cleaner-springs by use in the gun automatically sharpens the cuttingedge of each scraper-linger. In making the cleaner I preferably make live of the grooves c c in the stock and a corresponding number of springs; but a greater or less number IOO may be used; also, if desired, separate de-` stock, or any other mechanical equivalent answering the same purpose of automatically locking the shanks ofthe springs on the stock, may be used.

To use the cleaner, itis to be attached to the ramrod of a gun,inserted into the chamber ot' the gun, and moved back and forth therein. In use in the gun the screw of the expander should be turned into or' out from the stock ot the cleaner, as occasion mayvrequlre, to give such a pressure onu the springs as will force the base ot' the chisel-likel cutting-edge of the scraper-fingers to, lie flat and close against the inner surface of thebore=of the gun. This may beV done with a breechloadingr gun either before or after inserting 'the cleaner in the gun. W'ith a` muzzleload` lng gun the end m of the springs of the cleaner permits the cleanerto be forced into the bore of the gun after the springs are set, as desired, by the expander.

If in using the cleaner it be pushed'through` the bore ofthe g,unit cannot bereadily pulled back. For this reason itis convenient to use with the cleaner a collar fitting around the ranirod, which can be adjusted thereon by means of a set-screw or otherwiseto limit the thrust ofthe cleaner into. the bore.

The usefulness and con venienoe. of constructing the-cleaner of separate parts, as described, consists in the fact that thereby in case any of the parts beV broken or injured the same may be repaired or its place supplied' bya new corresponding part more conveniently and more economically.

Having thus described my invention,what

I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 5 ent, is y l. Agun-cleanercomprisingastock portion j formed with an internally-threaded socket, i a series of forwardly-extending spring-arms connected totheperipheral face of the stock, their forwardL ends contracted and bent up to form radial scraper-fingers, and a conical expander havinga threaded shank operating in the threaded socket of the stock, said expander having its conical. portion disposed between the contracted ends of the springarms, all substantiallyas shown and described. 2. Thecombination, with the stock A,hav ing a threaded socket a and forwardly-extending spring-arms C, said arms bent inwardl-y, as at mand back upon themselves, forming scraper-tin gers m, of the expander h, formed with a shank fitting the screwsocket, and a conical portion operating between andy bearing in the ends m, substantially as and for thepurposesI described.

3. The combination, with the stock A, formed with a shank a and an internal screwsocket and the conicalv expander h, of the spring-arms C, detachably secured at their inner ends on the stock, the front portion bent inward, as at n, the outer ends thereof bent back upon themselves forming scraperngersfm, such` fingersl extended rearward of `Jtheir'bearimg-point on the expander and pro- Svided with chisel-points on suchrear ends, substantially'a-s and for the purpose described. 4. The combination, with the stock A, {formed with 'an annular' depression b and' a reduccd portion` a', having' a series oii radial projections havingtheir adjacent faces under- -:cut, whereby dcvetail waysc cA are formed gand with a centrals threaded socket a', of the @expander h/,formed with" a screw-shank tand a'conicaly head', said shank operatingin the socket a', andthe spring-arms C, formed of dovetail' shank portions titting theways` c" c',

their rear ends bent inward at ItA tov lit thedev pression b\,tl1eirforward portions bent inward at n and outward at m, frorning scraper-iingers, said finger held to bear on the conical portion of the expander, substantially as and the purposes described.A

CHARLES W. WUNDERLIGI-I.

Witnesses:

J. T. BRINKMANN,

Jos. H. SCHMIDT. 

